WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush will nominate former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik to take over as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, two administration officials said Thursday.
Kerik led the New York City Police Department through the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and their aftermath. He is currently a senior vice president of Giuliani Partners, the consulting firm founded by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who appointed him as commissioner of the NYPD in 2000.
In 2003, Kerik went to Iraq at Bush's request to help train the new Iraqi police force, and he campaigned for Bush's re-election, making at speech at the Republican National Convention in August. (CNN Access: Working hard | Retraining)
An administration official told CNN that on at least two occasions, Giuliani made a personal pitch to the White House that Kerik be named to succeed outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who announced his resignation Tuesday.
Ridge said he will remain in the post until February 1 unless a successor is confirmed sooner.
"There will always be more to do, but today, America is significantly stronger and safer than ever before," he said in his resignation letter. (Ridge's letter)